(by The Sankei Shimbun via JAPAN Forward) A 10-meter-high light installation in the shape of a large tree sits at the center of the square….

Food Ticket Machines If you’ve ever eaten at a ramen shop, curry shop, beef bowl restaurant or any number of inexpensive restaurant chains in Japan,…

If you’re planning on visiting Japan in Spring, you’re probably looking forward to enjoying the beautiful and subtly fragrant blossoms of the cherry trees, or…

Hello Kitty is turning 45 this year but she hasn’t aged a bit since she first turned up on the scene. Her merchandise can be…

by Mizuho Miyazaki The Escape Stone, long said to be resilient in the face of calamities, has fallen — revealing the silhouette of a cat….

Although Akihabara is not very well known for its nightlife, there’s one place where you can party all night on weekends, and that’s the legendary…

To Kingdom Hearts fans it seems to have been an eternity, but finally the next installation in the main game series is here. Thirteen years…

For Muslim travelers to Japan, dining out can sometimes be stressful. Although the number of halal restaurants in major Japanese cities have increased, it can…

Toraya: From Kyoto to Tokyo For half a millennium, Toraya has been making the traditional Japanese confections known as wagashi. Founded in Kyoto in the…

J-World To Close on February 17th, 2019 Fans of manga and anime who live in Japan or have lived or visited Tokyo in the past…

While net cafes and capsule hotels are mostly viewed as an affordable bare bones way to crash when traveling in Japan or after missing a…

(by JAPAN Forward) The Keio Plaza Hotel screams elegance. With its many branches in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district and other locations, it has always delighted guests…

Studio Ghibli fans were overjoyed last year when the famed animation studio announced that it would be opening their first official theme park in Japan,…

(Updated on Feb. 4, 2019 with information on in-store eating area and new space rental options) Once upon a time, a burrito fell in love…

It’s that time of year again: Chichibu Matsuri. On Monday, December 3, this the Chichibu Festival culminated with a traditional float-and-night parade and a beautiful…